Merck Animal Health announced the completion of its acquisition of Quantified Ag®, a leading data and analytics company that monitors cattle body temperature and movement in order to detect illness early. In April 2018, Merck Animal Health invested in Quantified Ag® and partially funded their development work in data analytics in livestock. Specific terms of the agreement were not disclosed. …

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue applauded the safe reopening of critical infrastructure meatpacking facilities across the United States. As of June 9, across the cattle, swine, and broiler sectors, processing facilities are operating more than 95% of their average capacity compared to this time last year. In fact, beef facilities are operating at 98%, pork facilities are operating at …

The annual Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course is going virtual this year due to COVID-19 restrictions. The three-day online event is set for Aug. 3-5. Cost will be $99 before July 1, $129 after July 1 and $149 after the conference is over. Registration is open now as well as the opportunity to join the mailing list for continual …

Zoetis and American Horse Publications announced Barbra Schulte as the recipient of the 2020 Equine Industry Vision Award. The annual award, established and sponsored by Zoetis, recognizes the innovation and commitment made by an individual or organization to positively influence the equine industry. Zoetis presented the award to Schulte by video since the 2020 AHP Equine Media Conference was canceled …

The Animal Agriculture Alliance’s 2020 Stakeholder Summit, themed “Primed & Prepared,” equipped food and agriculture stakeholders with the tools needed to bridge the gap between farm and fork. The Alliance hit an attendance record with 515 attendees registering for the first-ever virtual Summit, held May 7-8. Dairy Management Inc. and checkoff partner Pizza Hut are joining forces to give away …

The Animal Agriculture Alliance recently hired Emily Solis as communications specialist, beginning May 11. In this role, Solis will work to execute the Alliance’s issues management and communications strategy. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division provided guidance for collaboration among U.S. hog farmers to effectively address unprecedented challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The favorable decision is in …

The newest episode of the Dairy Stream podcast features Greg Ibach, undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Ibach’s agency is at the center of the federal government’s response to farmers who are trying to manage the unprecedented challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue applauded the safe reopening …

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson issued a statement supporting efforts to create local task forces to provide a framework to safely and efficiently reopen meatpacking facilities in a way that protects worker health and safety and begins to reduce the backup of hogs for processing in Minnesota and nationwide. The California Cattle Council, in conjunction with the California Cattlemen’s …

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced the establishment of a National Incident Coordination Center to provide direct support to producers whose animals cannot move to market as a result of processing plant closures. Additional details are available on the USDA website. R-CALF USA along with some of its members has launched a …

With the spread of COVID-19 and its impact on so many Americans, Zoetis is recognizing the resilience of cattle producers and initiating a special fundraising initiative to support those in need. Zoetis is asking cow/calf producers to submit inspiring pictures or videos at CalvingSeason.com to celebrate the commitment of cattle producers, and in turn, every submission will raise money to …